How We Score:

Global Score

The Engadget Global Score is a unique ranking of products based on extensive independent research and analysis by our expert editorial and research teams. The Global Score is arrived at only after curating hundreds, sometimes thousands of weighted data points (such as critic and user reviews).

conclusion:We like it

86
March 16th 2012 2:42 pm

Apple's first full-HD set-top box comes with a freshly updated UI, while providing the same easy access to Netflix, every movie, TV show and song in the iTunes Store, not to mention subscription sports channels. But it's still missing some key sources of programming -- which isn't entirely Apple's fault -- and won't play every media format under the sun (if that's your thing). But for a hundred bucks, it's an easy pick.

There’s no reason why every person with an iOS device (and soon a Mac) shouldn’t get an Apple TV. ... Apple’s latest Apple TV is going to continue the trend they began with the MacBook Air — the killing off of optical discs.

It’s an overall improvement, and I like to see Apple continuing to experiment with what makes the best television-set user interface. But every update of the Apple TV interface does show that someone at Apple is learning the hard lessons of the previous version.

If ... you don’t already have an Apple TV, then there’s a bigger motivation to buy this new model. Apple TV may still be the company’s hobby, but at $99 it’s a great accessory to the third-gen tablet and a solid home entertainment platform in its own right.

It offers far greater value for the dollar than any other accessory Apple has created for its devices, and works so well as a standalone video, photo, and audio streaming device that we consider it an all but essential purchase for users of Apple’s iOS devices and iTunes software.

The new Apple TV is a solid iterative update, but the product still lacks a clear edge over the competition. For those looking for streamlined access to iTunes media and their digital library, it is adept solution at an impressively low price.

For those looking for streamlined access to iTunes media and their digital library, it is adept solution at an impressively low price. But with a bulk of the changes being made available to existing Apple TV owners ... the only real benefit for those looking to upgrade is 1080p video output.

Not much to say here, if you liked the 2nd-gen Apple TV, you'll like this. It is just the next step - evolutionary, not revolutionary. That's not a bad thing, per se, but simply means that it's more of the same. A great little box that gives you access to your entire range of iTunes content, not...

The real reason to get an Apple TV is for wireless mirroring and Airplay support for all of your iDevices. Other than that, it can't really match the content offerings of other competing devices on the market like PS3, Roku, and Boxee Box.

I can say this is one of the single best purchases I have made this year. If you are already hooked into the Apple platform Ecosystem I highly recommend this. The UI is intuitive, the NetFlix app is the best one I've seen so far. The set up is simple. The only obnoxious thing I've found so far,...

As a basketball addict who pays an outrageous amount of money per year for an NBA League Pass subscription to avoid hearing the awful Israeli commentators ruining the game-watching experience, I was disappointed to find out that the NBA Game Time app for Apple TV is not available in my country,...

Okay, so this product is without doubt the worst apple product I have ever used. It is just a tool to be able to spend more money on the app store. It is just one big advert for its own products. Please note I am reviewing this product from the UK so some of it may not be relevant. Lets start...

Overall, the Apple TV is excellent but I think there is a lot to be added. Extra content is the top issue with this device. However, the latest releases and cheap price combined with the excellent addition of AirPlay makes this a great addition to your media center.

It's great when it works which is less and less. The buttons on the remote stop working randomly (yes the battery is fine). This is remedied sometimes by a reset and sometimes I've also tried upgrading to the latest firmware. Either technique helps but not for long.The buttons all work for...

I can't think of too many things wrong with this Apple TV. I use it constantly with AirPlay, and when we subscribe to Netflix every now & again. PhotoStream is terrific, works great with iTunes Match, and streaming content from our Macs is seamless and terrific.